LCDH

[Wid3y]

[tippexx]

lovely even with an element of reticence..

Bloody 'ell Widdy .... I've tasted some extraordinary things in cigars before, but reticence .... is that like frankincense without any frank?

[Wid3y]

Chaps I was also quite sceptical. However they are 100% legit and from an LCDH store. Guess I was lucky?! Either way they smoke lovely even with an element of reticence..

[Puff Scotty]

Pics are on the Party Charlotte thread, & as for prices I'd personally say that was Widdo's business...I detect a certain amount of the green eyed monster floating about....which is sad to see...

[smokin_e2011]

Well the cigars arrived. 100% legit as far as I can tell. It was LCDH after all. Whilst relatively new to cigars and now really enjoying here's what I paid from a good friend who kindly picked up a few bits and bobs:
€135 for 9 x esplendidos (03)
€55 for 5 x siglo v (01)
€204 for 50 x bolivar coronas (98)
€384 for 50 x partagas charlottes (98)

Very pleased indeed!

Pics would be interesting...

[Smallclub]

€135 for 9 x esplendidos (03)
€55 for 5 x siglo v (01)

…from a LCDH? I have my doubts… anyway, in my books, bargain prices on Cohiba = poor quality Cohibas…

[Simon Bolivar]

OK, glad see you didn't have these posted after all.

[Wid3y]

Well the cigars arrived. 100% legit as far as I can tell. It was LCDH after all. Whilst relatively new to cigars and now really enjoying here's what I paid from a good friend who kindly picked up a few bits and bobs:
?135 for 9 x esplendidos (03)
?55 for 5 x siglo v (01)
?204 for 50 x bolivar coronas (98)
?384 for 50 x partagas charlottes (98)

Very pleased indeed!

[Ryan]

it's the old adage, if it's too good to be true it always is

That is usually the case and almost always the way with cigars bought in Cuba from an "unofficial" seller.

I was in Zimbabwe in 2002 visiting in-laws and needed to exchange some money. I had US dollars on me, the official rate at the time was about 170 Zim dollars to 1 US. The guys on the street (black market) were offering 1,500, nearly 10 times the official rate. Of course I thought the black market guys were selling rolled up paper covered by maybe one real note so I used the official place.
It turned out later, from talking to some people, that those guys in the street were selling real money, at 10 times the rate. They were simply so desparate for hard currency, Zimbabwe banks wouldn't sell hard currency to locals, that's what they were doing. They saw where it was going I suppose, the last I heard of that exchange rate was in the trillions to one.

[nev coss]

it's the old adage, if it's too good to be true it always is

[nicwing]

Outside every cigar factory in Havana you will meet guys with "factory security passes" prominently displayed. They will take you into an alley and sell you cigars which "came out of the backdoor of the Factory".

It is a complete con. Unless you buy from a Casa del Habano in Havana you are 99.9999% certain to be buying fakes. Some are ordinary and some are made of banana leaves and floor sweepings.

If you haven't discovered Nino, one of the most respected Cigar blogs out there, you have been missing something and one of his posts from a recent trip, which tells the tale of fakes and hustlers http://flyingcigar.de/startseite/of-...-and-survival/

[tippexx]

Beware, Beware.

I've just come across a site offering Cohiba Esplendidos for $317 per box .... and not content with that .... until the 17th they're offering 2 for the price of 1.

Puros can now be sold like corn flakes or washing-up liquid!

[SmokeyDave]

I was given a Fauxhiba Behike 54 this week by a friend of mine who works in Prague, he gets them from someone who works in the Romanian Diplomatic service over there. (He knows they are fake but gets through a huge amount of cigars and says they smoke ok for a fix when he is away).

At first glance it looks good, only by putting a legit one next to it do you see the tell tale signs. When I get time and the light is good I'll post pics.

The old stories of 'A friend of mine knows someone who works at the factory etc' are the most used stories to get people to buy fakes.

[TJCoro]

Deja Vu all over again!

Oh yes, very simple; they will be fakes.

In glass-top boxes, no doubt.


Ray Jay

[DavidD]

Oh yes, very simple; they will be fakes.

I agree - which is why I didn't accept. However, there IS a black market in workers' perks but it's knowing who to trust in Cuba, isn't it ?